Ferry jobs
 

I’m currently a survey Pilot with a little over 800hrs and just finished the season ... I was wondering how to look for ferry jobs while I wait for the next season to start.

I thought season just started !?

Are you doing picto work?

Ferry work?
As in flying airplanes you don’t know with a maintenance history you don’t know for people you don’t know?
Like THAT kind of flying?
Think again, lot of pirate operations in that industry.

Different type of work. We do a leaf on season instead of a leaf off.

Yes that concerns me a bit. But you would hope most of the log book information would be readily available to inspect if you were taking a plane to a new owner.

Well here’s just one shining example

https://www.pprune.org/north-america/577745-global-air-ferry-warned.html

Ferry flying is part 91 which means the FAA only comes looking after the fact.
And they usually have to bring the NTSB.
I think of it as a niche industry like crop dusting. Unless you were almost born and raised in it and you know who’s who and who’s not stay away from it as a time building step.
But hey don’t let me rain on your parade.
By all means look into it but be very wary of promises.

I'd continue surveying. Were you forced to leave for the winter? go to another company? Skylens and others hiring in Jan.

Most ferrying is who you know, closed connections. I only got offered a ferry job because of the friend of a friend.

You know what to look for in a logbook? Mechanic and IA, knowledgeable in performing inspections? Going to open things up so you know, or just trust? Know how to do an AD search?

Do you think that the operator is going to choose the least expensive, least experienced pilot to do the ferry flight, for a reason? Think hard about that.

A lot of aircraft that get ferried are questionable to begin with.

Ag work, by the way, isn't a niche industry. You don't stand a snowball's chance of getting in (it's not entry level), but it's hardly a niche industry. Most ag pilots, incidentally, are also mechanics.

I arrived to pick up a Cessna that had some work done, to move the airplane. The mechanic who did the work assured me it was ready, and that he'd flown it the night before. An initial walk-around revealed that all the downward-facing inspection plates were missing. Back into the hangar it went. When the airplane re-appeared, the start of another walk around revealed a small snag. The ailerons were rigged backward. Back into the hangar. Another walk around showed that the fuel tanks were bone dry. I began to wonder how it was that the flawless test hop was conducted the night before. And on it went. Seven times back into the hangar. How do you suppose my confidence level was as we approached effort number eight?

Take nothing for granted, assume nothing, and inspect and fly defensively.

There are those who try to set themselves up in business for ferrying airplanes, but usually you'll want to do it through a ferry operator who employs you. Remember that the operator has experienced ferry pilots, and anyone worth their salt is going to turn to a ferry operator before they turn to the least experienced guy on the airfield. If they turn to minimal experience (eg, zero: no ferry experience), there's a reason, and it comes down to cheap labor and expendability...and is a good indicator that they probably don't value their aircraft a great deal, either).

That said, Cessna hires delivery pilots, as do other manufacturers, and some sales places do utilize delivery pilots. Nobody likes to use a pilot unknown to them; the trick is getting known. Sometimes that involves getting with a ferry operator and getting some experience under your belt so you've met people, your name is known, and people trust you. It's not just trust that you can fly in a straight line and fine B after you've departed A. It's trust in your judgement, trust that you can work unsupervised, etc.

Your best bet is to contact an aircraft seller and see about doing some work for them, and to contact a ferry operator and do the same. Be careful about operators who will hire you: again, they're doing it for a reason, often in aircraft that can only be moved under a special flight authorization ("ferry permit"), and this, because the aircraft isn't airworthy...Again, think really carefully about this.

Aircraft ferrying is a very interesting occupation... and I’m not talking about the flying part either.

Early on I learned to how to save the operator money and to prevent out of pocket expenses

Before heading off to the airport to pick up the aircraft, for my crew, including a mechanic:
Fully refundable return business class tickets from home airports;
I had no less than 5 days pay plus per Diem, in advance, in the bank.
Guaranteed prepaid for (no less than 4 nights) hotel reserveration at a 4 start hotel or better for all where the aircraft is being picked up.

Overfly permits, catering, landing permits, legal reps, fuel releases all go without saying.

For US ferrying, I don’t move unless I have $$$ in my bank account, and pre-paid cards to cover any an all anticipated expenses, along with guaranteed airline tickets for all travel expenses.

One has to be an educated consumer as there are a lot of disreputable operations out there.

Well the 206 I was flying needed to go down for the overhaul and annual. So as soon as they finish I’ll be back to that ... I just didn’t want to sit on my but not flying for a month or so